This content was prepared by Harcourts Hamilton and is being published by Oneroof as advertorial.
Hamilton property vendors are about to experience the artful tone of this year’s premier winner in the LVD World Auctioneering Champs, following a move from Canterbury to be Harcourts Hamilton’s first dedicated auctioneer.
Mark McGoldrick arrives on the back of his latest accolade – beating previous winners to claim the title. Harcourts was strongly represented in the premier division, including its national auction manager Shane Cortese.
McGoldrick’s forthright yet empathetic skill, combined with strong manoeuvring strategies, edged Cortese out in the final.
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Auctioneering is a rare skill – part theatre yet committedto achieving the best outcome for vendors. It requires a likeable personality, quick wit and empathy for the task at hand – more importantly, the people involved.
With a sales background in technology, McGoldrick was drawn to auctioneering by his older brother, an auctioneer himself. Now, with 10 years behind him, McGoldrick has notched up 5500 auctions – 3209 of those selling on the day.
Well aware of a level of negativity about auctions, McGoldrick says there are a lot of misconceptions about the process, most focusing on sales that don’t happen on the day.
“Statistically, auction will sell more reliably in any market; if not under the hammer, within the next couple of weeks with all market information gathered to price a property accurately.”
McGoldrick says since January, of the number of properties at auction with Harcourts, 56 per cent went under the hammer.
“In the next two weeks after the auction, 80 per centsold.”
McGoldrick concedes that auctions can be challenging for vendors. The past years have seen massive swings and roundabouts, unprecedentedprices post-Covid in frenetic auctions and now a downturn. Surprisingly, McGoldrick says a sellers’ market is rare. Mostly it favours buyers.
Correct positioning is key, bridging the gap between sellers and buyers to everyone’s satisfaction. It’s all about the process, dispelling myths, according to McGoldrick. He sees part of his job as guiding vendors throughout their campaign.
Harcourts Hamilton director Campbell Scott says having a fulltime auctioneer now will appeal to vendors. They benefit from his experience at the time of listing, right up to auction. While Scott agrees there are challenges in the current market, he believes this is the best buying market in 10 years. Buyer competition is low and well-promoted properties are standing out.
While auction has always been about securing a cash sale, McGoldrick says some think it’s live or die at auction.
“Actually, it’s a three-stage process. Under the hammer is the best-case scenario – always – unconditional money and being able to move on. If the deal isn’t met on the day, and relies on conditional parties, then it’s about negotiation and bridging the gap.”
That said, nothing is more satisfying than a successful auction.
McGoldrick says it’s about securing good engagement and interaction to get bids, then leveraging the next bid. Human nature and personalities will always play a part. But the skill of a good auctioneer will win through.
McGoldrick has a world title to prove it.
